Panathinaikos is in Bulgaria, specifically in Philippoupolis, where on the night of Thursday (1/8) will be called upon to defend the 2-1 first match against Botev Plovdiv and qualify for the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
During the press conference, the “clover” coach, Diego Alonsospoke about the first match stressing that Panathinaikos has a completely different match in front of him compared to that of OAKA, he noted that the good picture of 70 minutes it is not a guarantee for tomorrow’s game, while he also answered whether his team is, given the season, at the desired stage of readiness that he wants.
Among other things, the 49-year-old Uruguayan technician answered to a question from a Bulgarian journalist about what is happening with Fotis Ioannidis, but also about whether the absence of Vilena and Schenkefeld from the expeditionhas something to do with their poor performance in the first match.
His statements in detail:
You only used players from last year’s roster in the first leg lineup. A week has passed, the internationals are back. How many of them are ready and in your selections? : “I didn’t use players from the previous season, I used Panathinaikos players. The players who were in Europe and those who were in the team, every time they have a better image, they are more in shape. And of course they understand the system better, but that takes time. Each time they improve with training and maybe tomorrow they will have the opportunity to play.”
There is the 2-1 of the first match. Does the team go into tomorrow with a mindset that they have a winning edge, or do they go in like it’s all over, for a football war?: “We know that in the first race we wanted a wider result. And with our mistakes we brought the opposing team closer to the scoreboard. But this is a completely different race. In the previous match we were better for 70 minutes, but that is not a guarantee that we will be like that tomorrow. We will do everything to prevail on the pitch. It’s a different story.”
We are in a preparation period essentially and we will see the team improve as time goes on. At what level of readiness is Panathinaikos at the moment? The high pressure that you chose in the first match and it is a competitive identity, is it something that the team can apply in every match? “First of all the team should be in much better conditions after August 31. Because that is essentially the date that the roster closes.
Undoubtedly, new players will continue to arrive and they too will need adjustment. And I hope already from September the team will be as I would like it. Today we have a difficulty, because we had a group of players and new players are coming to integrate into it, as well as those who were absent earlier. And we have important events, such as the European ones. But as I have said many times, I do not see this as a difficulty, but as an opportunity. Opportunity for various players to show their skills.
And as far as the style part of the question is concerned, the more training sessions, the greater the potential for the team to adapt to the style we want. And I would say that what happened in the first match was very close to the style that we want to have. High pressure and aggression.”
It’s been a week since the first match. What do you expect Panathinaikos to have changed in their game and what do you want them to change? : “On a strategic level, tomorrow’s match will be different. Initially we started the match 0-0, now we start it 2-1. So the opponent will be under pressure and it will be urgent for him to look for the result. What we will pursue is personal improvement. What we did for 70 minutes in the first match, let’s do it in the whole match. For the opponents, tomorrow will be the 6th official match, for us the 2nd. So they have more rhythm and we’ll have to replace that with more personality.”
Joining new players, changing playing style, preparation period. Doesn’t all this increase the degree of difficulty for a coach when important goals are at stake? : “Certainly there is a higher level of difficulty. But here we are and as I said before: I never see an obstacle, but an opportunity. We have worked very well with everything we have been able to do so far. The challenges are great, but we are here to do great things.”
To the question of a Bulgarian journalist about what is happening with Fotis Ioannidis, Alonso replied: “Fotis has a problem with his shoulder. We did not have the doctor’s approval to include him in the two matches. He has already started training whenever he might be in the next games.”.
For the health of Schenkefeld-Vilena and if it is related to their performance in the first match: “No it’s not related”
Source: Sport Fm
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